BREAKING: North Korea launches rocket

By GottaLaff

I'll update as more news comes in:

North Korea appeared to launch a rocket on Sunday, the Japanese government said, defying calls from world leaders to scrap a plan that has caused international alarm.

It was not immediately clear if the launch had been successful, or if it was a long-range version of the rocket.

The rocket is supposed to fly over Japan, dropping boosters to its west and east on a path that runs southwest of Hawaii.

The United States, South Korea and Japan say the plan is actually the test of a Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead as far as Alaska.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday the international community would take action if North Korea went ahead with the launch to show Pyongyang it could not act with impunity.

The U.S. has three Navy destroyers standing by.

UPDATE Tweets:

China State media says North Korea rocket dropped fuel boosters at 11:37 and 11:43 Japan time.

Reuters: Japan government says the rocket launch is "regrettable"

Yonhap: Seoul says N. Korean rocket launch "grave threat" to world peace

L.A. Times Tweet:

North Korea launches rocket; payload unknown